Los Angeles County
Biographies
HOWARD ELMER REACH
REACH, HOWARD ELMER,
Attorney-at-Law, Los Angeles, California, was born in Prague, Bohemia,
Sept. 1, 1883. He is of Scotch extraction, the son of S. Reach
and Regina (Setland) Reach.
Mr. Reach was reared in Bohemia and given the best
educational advantages of that place and Germany. He received the preliminary
part of his education in the public schools of Prague, and upon leaving high
school attended the University of Prague for about a year, and then entered the
University of Heidelberg, Germany’s most celebrated
institution of learning. He was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Laws in
1905.
Shortly after leaving the University Mr. Reach
accepted the proposal of a Bohemian newspaper that he sail for the United
States, arrive in New York penniless, and earn his livelihood for one year
without assistance from his family or friends in Europe. Confident of his
ability to make his way under these conditions, Mr. Reach arrived in New
York and immediately began what proved to be one of the severest tests of his
life. He worked at any occupation he could find and endured many hardships in
the great city, but at the end of the year he was awarded the purse his paper
had promised if he succeeded in his attempt. During his first year
Mr. Reach wrote the story of his experiences in America, and for a year
after he had won, continued to send special articles to the publication.
Mr. Reach was admitted to practice in the courts of New
York and later was admitted to practice in several other States, including New
Jersey, Indiana and California. His first affiliation in the United States was
with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, as a member of its legal staff. He served
as Traveling Counsel for this concern for more than two years and during that
time figured in several important cases, among them the prosecution of Harry
Orchard and officers of the Western Federation of Miners in connection with the
assassination of former Governor Steunenberg of
Idaho. Mr. Reach had a prominent part in the preparation of evidence and
greatly aided the State Attorneys in the trial of the cases.
During his connection with the Pinkerton Agency
Mr. Reach’s work took him to all parts of the United States and required
unusual versatility in the knowledge of law, including banking, corporation and
the criminal branches. He was thus engaged until June, 1910, when his work on a
noted case took him to California and he decided to remain there. Following his
resignation, he opened offices in Los Angeles, was admitted to practice and
soon attained a place among the successful members of his profession. He was
associated for a time with the firm of Crouch & Crouch, but later practiced
alone. In 1911 he formed a partnership with the late Frank Pratt, a brilliant
attorney of Los Angeles, and this continued until the latter part of 1912, when
Mr. Pratt was claimed by death. Mr. Reach, during the greater part of
this association, handled most of the business for the firm and was a figure in
several notable litigations.
In the year 1907, prior to locating permanently in
California, Mr. Reach was retained to oppose the movement for removal of
the State Capital from Sacramento to Berkeley, California. This proposition,
generally regarded as a political scheme, not only aroused the people of
Sacramento, but brought forth a protest from the entire State of California.
Public sentiment prevented the completion of the plan and Mr. Reach was
one of the most active factors in the entire affair, it being generally
admitted that he was largely instrumental in the defeat of the scheme.
In addition to his professional practice, Mr. Reach has
been active in other lines in Los Angeles, and in August, 1911, aided in the
organization of the Royal Securities Company, a California corporation devoted
to the handling of municipal bonds. He was chosen Vice President and General
Manager of the company’s business and also has charge of its legal affairs.
Despite the handicap under which he started his career in
the United States, Mr. Reach’s work has been unusually successful and he
is highly regarded personally and as a business man. He is considered an
authority on banking and corporation law and during his brief residence in
Southern California has taken an active interest in the affairs of Los Angeles,
city and county.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Los Angeles
Bar Association, the Union League Club and the University Club of Los Angeles.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
16 March 2011.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 621,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Marie Hassard.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES